加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第21部分

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up　with　things。　I　wouldn't　employ　him　in　a　position　of　trust；　but　I　don't　have　to　trust　him。　Maybe　his　past　is　blameless；　maybe　it　isn't。　His　references　were　all　right　but　I　discernshall　I　say；　a　note　of　reserve。　Fortunately；　I'm　not　a　man　who　has　any　guilty　secrets；　so　I'm　not　a　subject　for　blackmail。〃

〃No　secrets？〃　said　Miss　Marple；　thoughtfully。　〃Surely；　Mr。　Rafiel；　you　have　business　secrets？〃

〃Not　where　Jackson　can　get　at　them。　No。　Jackson　is　a　smooth　article；　one　might　say；　but　I　really　don't　see　him　as　a　murderer。　I'd　say　that　wasn't　his　line　at　all。〃

He　paused　a　minute　and　then　said　suddenly；　〃Do　you　know；　if　one　stands　back　and　takes　a　good　look　at　all　this　fantastic　business；　Major　Palgrave　and　his　ridiculous　stories　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　the　emphasis　is　entirely　wrong。　I'm　the　person　who　ought　to　be　murdered。〃

Miss　Marple　looked　at　him　in　some　surprise。

〃Proper　type　casting；〃　explained　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Who's　the　victim　in　murder　stories？　Elderly　men　with　lots　of　money。〃

〃And　lots　of　people　with　a　good　reason　for　wishing　him　out　of　the　way；　so　as　to　get　that　money；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃Is　that　true　also？〃

〃Well〃　Mr。　Rafiel　considered；　〃I　can　count　up　to　five　or　six　men　in　London　who　wouldn't　burst　into　tears　if　they　read　my　obituary　in　The　Times。　But　they　wouldn't　go　as　far　to　do　anything　to　bring　about　my　demise。　After　all；　why　should　they？　I'm　expected　to　die　any　day。　In　fact　the　bugblighters　are　astonished　that　I've　lasted　so　long。　The　doctors　are　surprised　too。〃

〃You　have　of　course；　a　great　will　to　live；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃You　think　that's　odd；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。

Miss　Marple　shook　her　head。　〃Oh　no；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　it's　quite　natural。　Life　is　more　worth　living；　more　full　of　interest　when　you　are　likely　to　lose　it。　It　shouldn't　be；　perhaps；　but　it　is。　When　you're　young　and　strong　and　healthy；　and　life　stretches　ahead　of　you；　living　isn't　really　important　at　all。　It's　young　people　who　mit　suicide　easily；　out　of　despair　from　love；　sometimes　from　sheer　anxiety　and　worry。　But　old　people　know　how　valuable　life　is　and　how　interesting。〃

〃Hah！〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　snorting。　〃Listen　to　a　couple　of　old　crocks。〃

〃Well；　what　I　said　is　true；　isn't　it？〃　demanded　Miss　Marple。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　〃it's　true　enough。　But　don't　you　think　I'm　right　when　I　say　that　I　ought　to　be　cast　as　the　victim？〃

〃It　depends　on　who　has　reason　to　gain　by　your　death；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃Nobody；　really；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Apart；　as　I've　said；　from　my　petitors　in　the　business　world　who；　as　I　have　also　said；　can　count　fortably　on　my　being　out　of　it　before　very　long。　I'm　not　such　a　fool　as　to　leave　a　lot　of　money　divided　up　among　my　relations。　Precious　little　they'd　get　of　it　after　Government　had　taken　practically　the　lot。　Oh　no；　I've　attended　to　all　that　years　ago。　Settlements；　trusts；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃Jackson；　for　instance；　wouldn't　profit　by　your　death？〃

〃He　wouldn't　get　a　penny；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel　cheerfully。　〃I　pay　him　double　the　salary　that　he'd　get　from　anyone　else。　That's　because　he　has　to　put　up　with　my　bad　temper；　and　he　knows　quite　well　that　he　will　be　the　loser　when　I　die。〃

〃And　Mrs。　Walters？〃

〃The　same　goes　for　Esther。　She's　a　good　girl。　Firstclass　secretary；　intelligent；　goodtempered；　understands　my　ways；　doesn't　turn　a　hair　if　I　fly　off　the　handle；　couldn't　care　less　if　I　insult　her。　Behaves　like　a　nice　nursery　governess　in　charge　of　an　outrageous　and　obstreperous　child。　She　irritates　me　a　bit　sometimes；　but　who　doesn't？　There's　nothing　outstanding　about　her。　She's　rather　a　monplace　young　woman　in　many　ways；　but　I　couldn't　have　anyone　who　suited　me　better。　She's　had　a　lot　of　trouble　in　her　life。　Married　a　man　who　wasn't　much　good。　I'd　say　she　never　had　much　judgement　when　it　came　to　men。　Some　women　haven't。　They　fall　for　anyone　who　tells　them　a　hard　luck　story。　Always　convinced　that　all　the　man　needs　is　proper　female　understanding。　That；　once　married　to　her；　he'll　pull　up　his　socks　and　make　a　go　of　life！　But　of　course　that　type　of　man　never　does。　Anyway；　fortunately　her　unsatisfactory　husband　died；　drank　too　much　at　a　party　one　night　and　stepped　in　front　of　a　bus。　Esther　had　a　daughter　to　support　and　she　went　back　to　her　secretarial　job。　She's　been　with　me　five　years。　I　made　it　quite　clear　to　her　from　the　start　that　she　need　have　no　expectations　from　me　in　the　event　of　my　death。　I　paid　her　from　the　start　a　very　large　salary；　and　that　salary　I've　augmented　by　as　much　as　a　quarter　as　much　again　each　year。　However　decent　and　honest　people　are；　one　should　never　trust　anybody。　That's　why　I　told　Esther　quite　clearly　that　she'd　nothing　to　hope　for　from　my　death。　Every　year　I　live　she'll　get　a　bigger　salary。　If　she　puts　most　of　that　aside　every　yearand　that's　what　I　think　she　has　doneshe'll　be　quite　a　welltodo　woman　by　the　time　I　kick　the　bucket。　I've　made　myself　responsible　for　her　daughter's　schooling　and　I've　put　a　sum　in　trust　for　the　daughter　which　she'll　get　when　she　es　of　age。　So　Mrs。　Esther　Walters　is　very　fortably　placed。　My　death；　let　me　tell　you；　would　mean　a　serious　financial　loss　to　her。〃　He　looked　very　hard　at　Miss　Marple。　〃She　fully　realises　all　that。　She's　very　sensible；　Esther　is。〃

〃Do　she　and　Jackson　get　on？〃　asked　Miss　Marple。

Mr。　Rafiel　shot　a　quick　glance　at　her。　〃Noticed　something；　have　you？〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　I　think　Jackson's　done　a　bit　of　tomcatting　around；　with　an　eye　in　her　direction；　especially　lately。　He's　a　goodlooking　chap；　of　course；　but　he　hasn't　cut　any　ice　in　that　direction。　For　one　thing；　there's　class　distinction。　She's　just　a　cut　above　him。　Not　very　much。　If　she　was　really　a　cut　above　him　it　wouldn't　matter；　but　the　lower　middle　classthey're　very　particular。　Her　mother　was　a　schoolteacher　and　her　father　a　bank　clerk。　No；　she　won't　make　a　fool　of　herself　about　Jackson。　Dare　say　he's　after　her　little　nest　egg；　but　he　won't　get　it。〃

〃Hushshe's　ing　now！〃　said　Miss　Marple。

They　both　looked　at　Esther　Walters　as　she　came　along　the　hotel　path　towards　them。

〃She's　quite　a　goodlooking　girl；　you　know；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　〃but　not　an　atom　of　glamour。　I　don't　know　why；　she's　quite　nicely　turned　out。〃

Miss　Marple　sighed；　a　sigh　that　any　woman　will　give　however　old　at　what　might　be　considered　wasted　opportunities。　What　was　lacking　in　Esther　had　been　called　by　so　many　names　during　Miss　Marple's　span　of　existence；　〃Not　really　attractive　to　men。〃　〃No　S。A。〃　〃Lacks　ehither　in　her　eye。〃　Fair　hair；　good　plexion；　hazel　eyes；　quite　a　good　figure；　pleasant　smile；　but　lacking　that　something　that　makes　a　man's　head　turn　when　he　passes　a　woman　in　the　street。

〃She　ought　to　get　married　again；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　lowering　her　voice。

〃Of　course　she　ought。　She'd　make　a　man　a　good　wife。〃

Esther　Walters　joined　them　and　Mr。　Rafiel　said；　in　a　slightly　artificial　voice。　〃So　there　you　are　at　last！　What's　been　keeping　you？〃

〃Everyone　seemed　to　be　sending　cables　this　morning；〃　said　Esther。　〃What　with　that；　and　people　trying　to　check　out〃

〃Trying　to　check　out；　are　they？　A　result　of　this　murder　business？〃

〃I　suppose　so。　Poor　Tim　Kendal　is　worried　to　death。〃

〃And　well　he　might　be。　Bad　luck　for　that　young　couple；　I　must　say。〃

〃I　know。　I　gather　it　was　rather　a　big　undertaking　for　them　to　take　on　this　place。　They've　been　worried　about　making　a　success　of　it。　They　were　doing　very　well；　too。〃

〃They　were　doing　a　good　job；〃　agreed　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃He's　very　capable　and　a　damned　hard　worker。　She's　a　very　nice　girlattractive　too。　They've　both　worked　like　blacks；　though　that's　an　odd　term　to　use　out　here；　for　blacks　don't　work　themselves　to　death　at　all；　so　far　as　I　can　see。　Was　looking　at　a　fellow　shinning　up　a　coconut　tree　to　get　his　breakfast；　then　he　goes　to　sleep　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　Nice　life。〃

He　added；　〃We've　been　discussing　the　murder　here。〃

Esther　Walters　looked　slightly　startled。　She　turned　her　head　towards　Miss　Marple。

〃I've　been　wrong　about　her；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　with　characteristic　frankness。　〃Never　been　much　of　a　one　for　the　old　pussies。　All　knitting　wool　and　tittletattle。　But　this　one's　got　something。　Eyes　and　ears；　and　she　uses　them。〃

Esther　Walters　looked　apologetically　at　Miss　Marple；　but　Miss　Marple　did　not　appear　to　take　offence。

〃That's　really　meant　to　be　a　pliment；　you　know；〃　Esther　explained。

〃I　quite　realise　that；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　realise；　too；　that　Mr。　Rafiel　is　privileged；　or　thinks　he　is。〃

〃What　do　you　meanprivileged？〃　asked　Mr。　Rafiel。

〃To　be　rude　if　you　want　to　be　rude；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃Have　I　been　rude？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　surprised。　〃I'm　sorry　if　I've　offended　you。〃

〃You　haven't　offended　me；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃I　make　allowances。〃

〃Now；　don't　be　nasty。　Esther；　get　a　chair　and　bring　it　here。　Maybe　you　can　help。〃

Esther　walked　a　few　steps　to　the　balcony　of　the　bungalow　and　brought　over　a　light　basket　chair。

〃We'll　go　on　with　our　consultation；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃We　started　with　old　Palgrave；　deceased；　and　his　eternal　stories。〃

〃Oh　dear；〃　sighed　Esther。　〃I'm　afraid　I　used　to　escape　from　him　whenever　I　could。〃

〃Miss　Marple　was　more　patient；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Tell　me；　Esther；　did　he　ever　tell　you　a　story　about　a　murderer？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Esther。　〃Several　times。〃

〃What　was　it　e